This is the truth of my love for you
How could you have seen
Those fading glances
Those longing stares
When you were turned away and staring right at me
Trapped in your own despair...

The year began to pass quickly, and by the way it was now early December... You can imagine how ecstatic Blaise was with the impending promise of seeing Noemi again. Elena found out about his secret sweets addiction, as well as his growing coffee dependence, and got him chocolate flavored coffee to suit both his cravings. He could have kissed her, but he didn't. They were still friends after all.

''It's snowing!'' She exclaimed for at least the third time in a half hour as the pair trudged across the fallen snow.

She looked like a fluffy teddy bear in her coat, with spirals for hair and a bear eared hat to keep out the cold. He followed along in a cloak covered in warming charms. Why she didn't just use a warming charm he'd never understand.

''Yes, Elena, it's snowing...''

''Can you believe it's almost over?''

''What?'' He asked sitting down on the bench watching her stare up at the sky with the hopelessness of a lost puppy staring up at a young girl that took him home.

It was then he addressed the possibility that he was already head over heels for her.

''This year... It's almost Christmas.'' She said softly lifting her hands to the sky and spinning.

Over the time they'd known each other, he realized that Elena had affection for falling things especially rain and snow. It had been a calm day with a dreary sky and he'd found her with hands pressed against the cool stone about ten minutes after classes had ended for the day. While everyone else was scurrying for cover from the oncoming storm, she stood there looking excitedly up at the sky. It began to ran and she hopped over the railing of the corridor to run outside in the courtyard and run around in the rain. When she spotted him, she asked him to join her. He placed his books down with hers and was outside with her before he'd had a chance to rethink the idea. They stayed outside for at least an hour before it was almost time for dinner and walked back into the dry corridor. She thanked him then and he told her that he'd always run in the rain with her.

It had to be one of his favorite memories of their time together.

''You're going to get dizzy again.'' He chided.

She did indeed and wobbled on her feet as though she was drunk. Blaise caught her before she hit the ground and smiled down at her hoping that now of all times he hadn't learned to blush as she looked up at him with swimming eyes.

''Good...catch. I'm dizzy.''

''I told you.'' He said shaking his head and helping her onto her feet.

It was almost time for dinner. Within the next week they would be back on the train to go home for winter break. Elena said that she would be going home as well, so at least he'd have some company while they were on the train. If he was lucky, by some strange chance, he would a chance to see her over break instead of giving her a gift when they were on the train ride back to Hogwarts.

"Come on it's almost time for dinner..."

She nodded and pushed him over into the snow. She laughed at his snow covered form on the ground and it was sound that he wished would never stop, even as he brushed the snow from his riotous curls and glared up at her.

''Tag you're it!'' She said laughing as she ran up the hill.

He shook his head, standing and racing after her. If only this feeling would last...

Blaise caught her eventually and tickled her until she gave in. They pulled off their coats and headed down for dinner. They separated to head to their own tables reluctantly. Throughout dinner, he stared at her across the tables watching her, the people around her, and drifting into and out of his own thoughts. She had adjusted well into her house and was the life of the Ravenclaw table, which had normally been studious and quiet. She was talking to the Griffyndors too by leaning towards the table from her seat. Elena was one to make friends with everyone, he was almost sure she didn't have any real enemies.

''Well Well Well, its Blaise. Where have you been?''

Does he insist on talking to me because he's an idiot and doesn't understand sarcasm and disdain very well or is he deliberately pissing me off?

It was a question he asked myself often as Crabbe and Goyle decided that the seats next to me were theirs and sat down, squishing Blaise between them. He wondered if they were born that big or bred that large. He sighed and chocked it up to another day in the Slytherin House and looked up at Draco. He and Blaise were about the same size but with Crabbe and Goyle around to follow him like minions, size nor skill were things he concerned himself with.

Blaise swore one day to tear that stupid grin of his face, magic or no.

''Is there a reason you feel like conversing with me this night, or are you just bored?''

''Don't flatter yourself Zabini;" he sneered. "Of course you serve a purpose to me at the moment. I can see you've been hanging out with that Elena girl right?''

He immediately tensed finding it impossible not to and looked up very slowly to look at the sniveling weasel.

''Yes...what about it.''

''I want you to put in a good word for me with her.'' He raised an eyebrow, was he serious?

Blaise chuckled a bit before it errupted into a full scale laugh. He couldn't stop. Draco Malfoy wanted him, Elena's best friend, to put in a good word for the sniveling weasel that had pissed her off on more than one occasion? He wondered exactly if whatever sense of superiority Draco felt he had by hanging around the Tweedle Dee and "I forgot my name" gave him was worth catching their lack of intelligence. When he finally got a reign in on his laughter and his abs stopped hurting he regarded Malfoy who still looked as serious and demanding as he had been since he sat down.

He wasn't joking.

''Are you serious Malfoy? Surely you must understand what the words 'abhor, detest and loathe' mean.'' His face wrinkled in annoyance.

''Look Zabini, unless you want your life to be a living hell... you'll do as I say.''

''So now you're threatening me?" Blaise asked, amused. Didn't he know that the way to get to a girl was through her friends? He enjoyed the bit of power he had over Malfoy and the boy's obvious obliviousness to the lack of power Malfoy's threats had on him.

"Let's face it Malfoy, if you hurt me... your plot to get close to Elena will never work. I'm her best friend and confidant remember?''

He felt another fit of laughter coming on at his anger as he continued to eat in silence, he took the seat in front of Blaise and glared at him across the table.

''You know Blaise...there are bad things that happen to people that don't follow a Malfoy's wishes...'' He said almost threateningly.

''Oh...like punching Malfoy's in the face because they talk too much... now that I think about it...how was Granger's fist in your face? How main brain cells did she knock out?''

His face scrunched more in anger and he and his two goons walked away

Why do they insist on trying me?

He looked over at Elena who had a worried look on her face and gave her a smirk and thumbs up to show he was okay. But the look never dissipated and her hair changed to a dark blue. Her hair was really kind of like a mood ring and he wanted to tell her that there was nothing to be worried about. He grinned at her and continued to eat. As good as it made her feel that Blaise was not hurt by the short conversation, she couldn't shake off her instincts. For just a moment she took off the charm and focused searching for the thoughts she knew would be there.

After Dinner, Blaise walked along the corridor alone towards the dungeons were the Slytherin dorms were. He was somewhat tired but before he'd reached the third corridor from the dungeons. He felt someone was behind him lurking in the darkness behind him. He drew his wand and swallowed hard though he didn't change his pace and kept walking.

''I told you, you'll pay Zabini.''

Something swung at his head and he collapsed to the ground before it made contact but was not fast enough to dodge the large foot colliding hard with his stomach probably breaking a few ribs. He cried out. Someone grabbed him by his hair and pulled him up, someone's wand in his face lit with a greenish glow.

He looked into the eyes of Draco Malfoy as he kneeled in front of him. His pointy nose near Blaise's.

''Well well Blaise...you've got yourself in quite a fix haven't you... You'll think twice about questioning me from now on won't you?''

Blaise smirked and spat in his face, he growled with a devilish gleam in his eyes ready to curse him to hell. But Blaise heard soft footsteps at the end of the hallway and smiled as Draco wiped his face.

''Crabbe, Goyle, you know what to do.'' They cracked their knuckles.

''Expelliarmus!'' They heard from the end of the hallway sending Draco flying off his feet.

He'd never been so relieved to hear that spell they'd practiced over and over again in class.

''Petrificus Totalus! Stupefy!''

All these spells came from the darkness as running footsteps and a billowing cloak came nearer to him. Someone grabbed his arm and helped Blaise up as Draco sat up.

''Stupefy.'' Blaise heard her whisper and Draco was knocked out.

They made it to the door of the Slytherin dorms as people started filing in. She let him go resting against the wall to catch their breath.

''Blaise are you okay?'' She asked softly.

''That was pretty smart for you Elena...thanks.''

''I said are you okay?''She asked as he slid down the wall griping his stomach.

He pushed away her worried hands and huffed.

"It's nothing...one of them kicked me is all.''

It wasn't just that she knew that. His head was pounding and his entire right side throbbed with pain. She could see that though he would never admit it.

''Let me see...''She whispered and placed a gentle hand to his side.

''You should be getting back to your common room,'' he said pushing her hands away.

He pushed her away but she pushed his hands away and pressed a gentle hand into his side and yelped and hissed in pain falling back against the wall unable to protest anymore.

''I can handle myself...it doesn't seem broken. Here'' She performed some type of healing charm.

Who was she? He felt so much better and he knew that the charm was at least two years ahead of them if not three.

''Anything else?''She asked worriedly.

He laughed in spite of the pain in his hand. No one had ever worried so much about him and it made him feel warm and wanted. He supposed he would have to get used to the almost unnerving feeling coursing through him.

''Nothing but a head ache... Thanks...''She nodded and helped Blaise on to his feet.

''Be careful.'' She said as he headed into the common room after promising her that he would.

Her running footsteps down the hall echoed down the hall even after the entrance went closed behind him. Elena had seriously just saved him...

Elena...

He smiled a little at the thoughts of her that began to fill his thoughts as he headed down the corridor. They were coming so fast and so numerous he almost feared that they would overflow out of his ears. The only thing on his mind that night was Elena. Her smile, her laugh...just her... And he slept so peacefully, at more peace asleep then when he was awake, comforted by the thought of her worrying about him.

The world tended to fall apart when Blaise was awake but turned to nightmare as he slept, but not tonight. Elena kept his fear at bay and the monsters under the bed-out of thought and out of mind. He fell asleep within minutes and didn't wake up until late the next day. That had to have been the best sleep he'd gotten in years. He got out of bed and the ache in his head and been transferred to his stomach. He was starving and wondered if brush ins with danger burned calories like exercise. After showering and dressing in his muggle clothing, he headed down to get food before the trip to Hogsmeade.

''All students that have permission slips from their parents may go to the village. Please exhibit a behavior fitting of Hogwarts.'' McGonagall said as he reached outdoors.

He had a permission slip, but he really did not want to go. He was so tempted to avoid the whole ordeal of being outside of castle walls and near Malfoy after the night before. The only thing about Hogsmeade that seemed worth it was the idea of getting chocolate but even then it didn't seem worth it. He really did want to try the whole stress free lifestyle his sister lead. She always looked so happy.

All these thoughts dissolved when he saw Elena in muggle clothing. She wore a simple pair of jeans a jean jacket and a black shirt with long sleeves over her palms. She came towards him with her messenger bag with a smile like the sun.

''Hey Blaise...ready to go? Are you feeling any better?'' He smiled at her for the first time in what felt like forever, but really hadn't been more than a day.

''Yeah I'm fine.''

They handed in the slips and continued into the village. The entire day was full of fun and chocolate much to Blaise's joy and they ended up sipping butter beer and sitting at the lake in the village. The lake was frozen over but glimmering in the beautiful late day sun.

''So Elena...what are your plans once you get out of this place?'' Blaise asked gazing out over the frozen lake. She was looking out too and finished her butter beer moments later.

''I don't have much of a choice...''

''What?'' Blaise asked staring at her.

Her eyes filled with wary, and unhappiness. Her eyes a dark grey and her hair a demented blue, he knew something was wrong. He'd never seen that happen and the colors didn't fit the Elena he'd grown to love and rely on.

''My future has already been decided by my mother... She's marrying me off to some pure blood heir when I turn seventeen. I will never have a job, nor afford my own living, nor a freedom of will. I'll be chained to this man for the rest of my life. My fate ...is his decision...'' She said softly, rising to stare out and venture out onto the ice, changing her boots to ice skates to glide across the thick ice.

He did the same and joined her on the ice skating with her as her eyes stared out into the slowly passing distance. They stayed that way for a while and he waited until she stopped to speak. Of course, no wonder she looked so unhappy. There had been something bothering her since they came back for the year but he hadn't asked figuring she would tell him when she was ready, but now he knew.

''You never know Elena...this guy you speak of...could be a good guy.''

''Or a Death Eater," she quipped.

''He could be me.'' She laughed at this. ''I'm serious.''

Blaise was after all, for all his familial issues, a pure blood wizard of one of the most prominent families in the wizarding world. If there was a family that would be among her mother's choices, his would be one so there was a chance that what he was saying was true, but she knew otherwise. While she knew the history and the politics, she knew her mother paid no attention and had always wanted to be a part of one particular. She'd wished that her father was still around to stave off the day and make a logical decision or that her brother hadn't forgotten the family name. Her brother ran away about a year before she started her first year on the premise that their mother was a tyrant bent on using her children to her own ends. He was right, but Elena was still too young to be taken a long. He promised he'd find their father and come back before it was too late, he and his wife, but it'd been years since that promise was made and time was running out.

''Yeah, right Blaise," she said. "Let's get serious. This isn't some fairytale where your best friend saves you... This is the pureblood family rules we're talking about. With my luck it'll be Malfoy and I'll be in Azkaban within a week.''

He laughed knowing it was probably true. Elena was a powerful witch and with little trouble at all she could probably outsmart even Hermione Granger but where Hermione was all about proving that she belonged through her intelligence, Elena was more reserved about it. She did answer questions, it was when she was called. She didn't tell anyone her grades ever, even Blaise had to steal her essays to see the plainly marked "O" on the top, even in Potions.

''No seriously... what if it was me?''

''What if it was? I'll humor you.'' She said with a sly smile in her eyes.

''Well...I don't know. You would be free to do what you wanted. I would never forbid you a job... you'd be free to go wherever you wanted. And I would of course be faithful... it's not like it would be completely bad... Besides we could always get a divorce.''

She smiled a sad smile as he took her hands and skated backwards guiding her around the lake in circles.

''You're a nice guy Blaise... but you and I both know that's not how it works...'' She said lifting her eyes to the sky and stopping them. '' It does sound nice though.''

They skated back to the edge and laid out on the bank to stare up at the passing clouds. He smiled at her.

''You never know...things happen Elena.'' He whispered so that she would not hear him.

The gears in his head were already turning. There was no way that he would get her attention as more than a friend if he didn't challenge her. If he didn't act as if he was just a friend then maybe she would see him the way he wanted her to. There was only one problem: he didn't know how to do that.

Oh geez Blaise...let's get serious, you can't change your attitude within a week, it'd take a serious physical change first and then maybe...maybe Noemi wouldn't mind beating the man into me. She would do a much better job than anyone else in the family.

He laughed at the irony and hit her with a snowball and scrambled across the ice to skate away from her. She hit him square in the back with a ball of snow and he chased her around the lake. She giggled and slipped into the lake pulling him down with her. As he stared at her flushed, laughing face and warm eyes. He knew something had to change before she was no longer the Elena he was in love with but combating some force outside herself and caved.